In order to advertise the property, Factor knew he needed to create something completely original. While other casinos boasted prestigious circle drives, elaborate lawns, and massive fountains, the Stardust took a different approach. Factor installed the world’s largest cantilever sign to advertise the resort. The sign spanned 215 feet, and required an electrical input of 3,000 amps to operate https://www.casinoslots.co.nz/paysafecard-casino.
This high electrical input allowed the sign to be seen three miles down the Strip. The sign also set a world record due for its immense size. Shortly after the Stardust’s grand opening, the nearby casino “Royal Nevada” discontinued operations. Financial problems which plagued the project from the beginning, eventually forced the resort to close only four years after opening. In response to the closure, the Stardust purchased, and renovated the defunct property. The “Royal Nevada” was transformed into the Stardust West, which contained the Convention Center, and the High Roller Suites. From 1959 to 1964, this wing became exclusively known for housing both High Rollers, and the Stardust Showgirls. With the addition of the Royal Nevada, the Stardust now had the capacity to host 1,300 guests. During the first years of operation, the Stardust owned the only Drive in theater in Las Vegas. Due to the circumstances, the Stardust Drive in became a popular hangout spot for teens, and adults. The theater remained the only theater of its kind until 1965, when the West Wind Drive In opened. By 1961, the Stardust employed a concerning amount of high profile criminals. A few honorable mentions include: Credit Manager Hy Goldbaum, who was known under eleven different aliases, and had fourteen criminal convictions including one for assault. Casino Manager Johnny Drew, a trusted associate of Al Capone, and General Manager Morris Kleinman, who served three years for tax evasion. Moe Dalitz, and his team leased the property until 1965, when they became the owners of the resort. From 1965 to 1970, Dalitz and his team operated the Stardust International Raceway in Spring Valley, which is part of the Las Vegas Township. The speedway hosted racing events such as the Can-Am, and the USAC Championship Car Series. World class drivers like Mario Andretti, Bruce McLaren, Mark Donohue, and Jackie Stewart competed here during the Stardust’s operation of the track. In 1966, eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes attempted to purchase the Stardust for 30.5 million dollars. Hughes previously purchased the Desert Inn for thirteen million dollars, along with many other casinos including the Sands, and New Frontier. His interest in the project stemmed from its reputation as the largest resort in Las Vegas. Before Dalitz could sell the project, the Justice Department Antitrust Division stepped in and shot down the deal.The Antitrust Division ruled that if Hughes acquired any more projects on the strip, he would violate the Sherman Antitrust Act. During the late 1960’s, the Stardust gave Siegfried and Roy their first shot as headliners on the Strip. Thanks to this, the entertainers gained popularity in Las Vegas for their performances with White Tigers and Lions. The pair eventually moved their act to the Mirage, selling out every show from the first night to the last. As the Sixties came to an end, Dalitz sold the Stardust to the Parvin-Dohrmann corporation for an undisclosed amount. Parvin Dohrmann sat on the property for five years, before selling it Allen Glick’s Argent Corporation in 1974. Allen Glick purchased the property using loans provided by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Central States Pension Fund. Glick, a previous attorney and real estate investor from San Diego, received one hundred million dollars in loans from Teamsters Central States Pension Fund. Using this money, he first purchased the Hacienda Hotel, then the downtown Fremont Hotel, and finally the Stardust. If you have seen the movie “Casino”, this story may sound familiar. That is because “Casino” is based off the story of the Stardust. If you substitute the “Stardust” for “Tangiers”, you know what happens next. Under Argents ownership, Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal became the unofficial boss of the casinos, despite not having a gaming license. While some disliked Rosenthal’s management style, the casinos all saw a massive spike in popularity. Rosenthal’s ability to bring in High Rollers resulted in a sizable increase in dealer tips. This alone made him a popular face on the casino floor. Rosenthal’s most memorable addition to the Stardust was their two million dollar Sports and Race Book. (PUT WHAT SPORTS AND RACE BOOK IS ON SCREEN) The addition of this segment became the casinos most popular attraction due to their abnormally high betting limits. Nowhere else on the Strip could you find a one hundred thousand dollar maximum bet. At the time, competitors on the Strip limited bets between one thousand to five thousand dollars. Supposedly, the pay phones outside the Sports Book were the highest grossing in the country. Runners used the phones to inform out of state associate's about the Stardust’s Betting Lines immediately after they were posted. The “Stardust Line” became the industry standard up until the book’s closure. While Rosenthal made the resort an unbelievable amount of money, he also oversaw a table and slot skimming operation at the Stardust. This operation led to millions of unreported revenue being sent to the Chicago Outfit, and other Crime Families to fund their illegal enterprises. Inevitably, things came crashing down when federal investigators confirmed that throughout the 1970’s, Stardust employee’s skimmed profits from the resort, and distributed the funds between several midwestern mob bosses. Investigators alleged that millions of dollars in revenue went unaccounted for, and that the unaccounted revenue was distributed to criminal organizations before the Stardust reported their earnings. Towards the end of the 1970’s, Argent Corporation started to face legal issues related to the skimming operation. Admits the controversy, Argent sold the Stardust to Herb Tobman, and Allen Sachs in 1979. Initially things went well under the pair, however authorities discovered that they too skimmed profits at the resort. In response, the Nevada Gaming Commission revoked their gaming licenses, and forced them to forfeit control of the property. In 1984, the duo received a three and a half million dollar fine from the Nevada Gaming Commision. This fine set a record as the largest fine ever issued by the Nevada Gaming Commision. Due to the situation at hand, the commision awarded Boyd Gaming the rights to operate day to day activities at the Stardust. In 1983, a Federal Grand Jury indicted fifteen people for conspiring to skim at least 1.6 million dollars from the casino table games. Those indicted included notorious criminals such as the head of the Chicago Outfit Joseph Aiuppa, Milwaukee Syndicate Boss Frank Balistrieri, and Kansas City Mafia Chief Carl Civella. Authorities later charged a group of Cleveland Mobsters for sharing the stolen casino profits with other criminal organizations. Authorities estimated that the Stardust alone “lost” over two million dollars. In Federal Court, Cleveland Mobster Angelo Lonardo turned on his associates, and testified against them. The Mobster turned informant testified that his close friend, who was the Cleveland Mafia’s Point Man, informed him that the mobsters from Kansas City, and Milwaukee, had considerable say in who the Teamster Pension Fund issues loans too. He stated these mobsters convinced Teamster to issue a loan to Allen Glick’s Argent Corporation. Lonardo also revealed that the Chicago, Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Cleveland Crime Families received a monthly kickback from the Stardust skim, ranging between $40,000, and $100,000. He concluded his testimony by saying that Teamster Union Official William Presser received a $1500 monthly pension from the skim. Before the hearing begun, Kansas City Mafia Head Carl Civella, and three others accepted a plea deal, thus pleading guilty to lesser charges. After the trial, the jury deliberated for thirty hours over a six day period before coming to a decision. Chicago Mob Boss Joseph Aiuppa, and four others were convicted of skimming revenue, while secretly controlling the Stardust Resort and Fremont Hotel.
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